Downfall
by willowflickerman
Summary: From Hogwarts School to the wild grasslands of Hogsmeade to the grandeur of a manor deep in the heart of Wiltshire, Lucius Malfoy and Morgana D'Angelo danced their way into each other's hearts, neither of them realising that one day the Dark Lord would return to shatter the love they had found. Their downfall? Each other.
1. The Stranger - May 1993

She knew Professor Dumbledore wouldn't approve of her being out so late on her own, especially so close to the Forbidden Forest, but Morgana D'Angelo was, as always, curious. She had heard some of her peers discussing hippogriff sightings in the area, and had wanted to see if the rumours were true. She had hoped to find Rubeus Hagrid, the school gamekeeper and keeper of keys, wandering about the grounds, but so far she had had no luck in locating either a hippogriff or Hagrid.

Morgana reluctantly began heading back towards the castle, still searching the darkening skies for any sign of a hippogriff. She would have given almost anything for a chance to see one, even from a distance. She thought they were the most majestic creatures in the entire world.

Morgana had just passed the Quidditch pitch when she saw a strange figure striding directly towards her. The young witch firmly gripped the handle of the mahogany wand that was concealed in a pocket within the folds of her burgundy red cloak. She was confident enough in her abilities to take on most wizards and witches if the need arose.

As he reached Morgana, the man's topaz-blue gaze settled on her suspicious face. She looked up at him curiously but levelly, saying nothing. He was much taller than her, and he stared haughtily down his aquiline nose at her. He had the pale skin, the disdainful expression, and the aristocratic bearing of centuries of breeding. He held a long black cane in a gloved hand, the silver hilt of which gleamed against the darkness of his attire, and luxurious platinum blond hair fell straight down his back, a startling contrast to his black cloak.

He was absolutely beautiful.

The man silently took in the girl's thickly lashed dark eyes, the loose black curls that tumbled wildly over her shoulders, and he felt a sudden calmness settle over him as he reached her, inclining his proud head ever so slightly as he did so.

He held her open stare as he passed by, and Morgana spun round to watch him go. Within moments he was lost to the blackness of dusk, but he did turn that handsome head, just once, to glance back and smile.


	2. Saturday Morning Lie-In

Morgana woke late the next morning, to the sound of two of her three roommates discussing the May Day Dance, which was taking place the following weekend.

"Good morning, sleepy head." Liliana Krum smiled as she noticed Morgana stirring under the covers, and Tilly Maguire followed her friend's eyeline.

"You came in late last night," Tilly commented in her soft Scottish burr.

"I was out searching for hippogriffs," Morgana mumbled sleepily.

"And?" Liliana demanded. "Did you see one?"

Morgana slithered herself upwards so she was leaning back against the pillows.

"Not even a hoofprint," she snorted in disgust.

"Oh." Liliana looked disappointed momentarily. "Better luck next time then."

Morgana was aware that, most of the time, her friends simply humoured her inquisitive nature, but she also knew they admired her determination and her dedication to discovering the truth. If a rumour about hippogriff sightings was going around, Liliana and Tilly knew Morgana wouldn't stop searching until she'd either proved or disproved it.

"I did meet someone, though," Morgana continued slowly, after a moment's hesitation. "A man".

Liliana and Tilly's attention turned quickly back to her. A man? It clearly wasn't anybody they knew, or Morgana wouldn't have bothered mentioning him.

"What did he look like?"

"What did he say?"

The two girls spoke at the same time, making Morgana grin briefly.

"He didn't say anything," she said, answering Tilly's much easier query first. Then she paused again, as though she were considering Liliana's question carefully. "As for what he looked like...I recognised him from somewhere, yet I know I've never seen him before...He was tall, well-dressed, looked like a gentleman, I guess you could say...Carrying a cane."

Morgana looked away, pretending to search her mind for details, but in reality, she needed no prompts - she still knew precisely what the man looked like, his haughty face was the last thing her memory had shown her before she'd dropped off to sleep the previous evening.

"His eyes looked like they should have been cold, but they weren't...And..." Morgana paused again, not meeting their gaze.

The other girls looked at her curiously. There was something in Morgana's tone that they'd never heard before, and they glanced at one another as she continued.

"He had long blond hair," she finished, her words coming out rather quicker than she had intended them to.

There was an awkward silence for a second before Liliana whispered behind her hand in mock secrecy: "She didn't notice much about him, did she?" causing Tilly to giggle, and Morgana to cast her friend a quelling look.

"Lucius Malfoy." A sultry voice carried across the room. None of the girls had noticed Jacq Mulholland come back into the room, and they all stared at her questioningly.

"Lucius Malfoy," she repeated. "He's Draco's father...You know, that slippery little blond creature in Slytherin?"

Morgana, Liliana and Tilly nodded in unison, and Morgana immediately saw the similarities between father and son.

"He's very clever, shrewd, fabulously wealthy, but not, by all accounts, a very pleasant man. Works at the Ministry of Magic, even though he doesn't need to, and -" Jacq lowered her voice, and looked around the room as though to check nobody else was listening. "They say he's a Death Eater, and a member of You-Know-Who's inner circle."

Liliana and Tilly gasped, but Morgana somehow wasn't totally surprised. She sat staring contemplatingly at the royal-blue curtains at the foot of her bed, and said, almost to herself, "He really was quite beautiful."

Jacq looked seriously at her best friend. "Be careful, Morgana. Lucius Malfoy isn't someone you want to be getting mixed up with."

Morgana gazed back at Jacq for a long moment, and then she laughed lightly. "It doesn't matter anyway...He's likely already forgotten that we met, and it's not like we're ever going to meet again, is it?"


	3. Preparation

Even though she'd managed to enlist an excited Hagrid's help, and had spent most of her spare time that week searching for hippogriffs, neither Morgana or the gamekeeper had seen anything that told them that there were hippogriffs living near Hogwarts. Hagrid had kept a weathered eye on the skies, and a knowledgeable one on the ground as he'd gone about his daily duties, and Morgana had taken over during her free periods, exploring the very furthest perimeters of the school grounds, to no avail. It was difficult to tell which of them was more disappointed.

Morgana had also spent a few dreary afternoons in the library. Jacq's warnings had piqued her interest in Lucius Malfoy, and she was determined to discover if her friend's information had been correct. Generally, it was. The Malfoys were, as Jacq had said, fabulously wealthy. One of the richest wizarding families in Britain, they had come to England in 1066 alongside William the Conqueror, providing him with (presumably) magical help at the battle that had won him his crown, and they had been rewarded well for it. Their home still stood on the estate the Conqueror had awarded them, hundreds of acres deep in the heart of Wiltshire, and their name had been connected to royalty and the social elite ever since. It had even been said that the first Lucius Malfoy had been a suitor of Elizabeth I, and that her rejection of his hand had been why she had died without a husband or an heir.

It was true, too, that the current figurehead of the Malfoy dynasty had no real need to work at the Ministry of Magic. It was actually suggested by some parties that he used his job there to keep tabs on officials, and that financial 'donations' gave him certain privileges, although there was no firm evidence of such rumours. It was, however, a well-known fact that he provided St. Mungo's Hospital with generous donations for no apparent reason. The family also owned the Malfoy Apothecary, out of which had come Superior Red, the longest matured wine in the world, a recipe they had brought with them from France all those centuries ago.

Morgana could find very little evidence to support Jacq's statement that he was a follower of the Dark Lord, though. She found a few articles in the newspaper archives about him after the First Wizarding War had ended. He had claimed Voldemort had him under the Imperius Curse, and it had never been proved or disproved either way, so Lucius had retained his job at the Ministry and his social standing.

All in all, Jacq had been right - Lucius Malfoy was certainly not the sort of person anybody should have been getting caught up with, least of all a sixteen year old witch, no matter how brilliant she may be.

*****

Upon entering the spacious, circular, Ravenclaw common room, Morgana barely noticed all the fourth years and above sitting or standing around stiffly, determined not to crease or mark their beautiful gowns and dress robes before the May Day Dance started in twenty minutes time, and as she swept up the stone staircase to the room she shared with Liliana, Tilly and Jacq, Morgana was so disappointed at the apparent lack of hippogriffs in the area, that she was seriously considering not going to the dance. It wasn't as though she would be letting anyone down, as she'd systematically refused all offers of an escort for the night anyway.

As she flung open the oak door to their dormitory, though, Morgana stopped at the stunning array of gowns that met her eyes. Liliana was in a low-cut, figure-hugging scarlet number, her dark hair piled artistically on top of her head. Tilly was dressed in pale pink, her gown demure, and her blonde hair now bouncing in thick waves courtesy of Morgana's curling tongs, which lay cooling on the table beside her bed. Jacq was, as always, dressed in black, her dark hair hanging straight down her back. They all looked beautiful, complimented one another perfectly, and in that instant, Morgana knew she would be attending after all.

They all stared at her as she stood framed in the doorway, and then they glanced as one at the clock on the far wall.

"Come on, Morgana, we'll wait for you," Tilly's soft voice said.

Morgana smiled at her friends. "No, you go on, there's no point in us all being late."

"Are you sure?" Tilly looked a little torn, she didn't want to miss the start of the ball, but neither did she wish to leave Morgana behind.

"Yes, I'm sure." Morgana made a little shooing gesture with one hand, and picked up her towel and bathrobe with the other. "Go. I'll meet you downstairs in a bit."


	4. The May Day Dance

p style="color: #222222; font-family:  
Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;  
font-size: 14px; line-height: 24.479999542236328px;""I met her very briefly, and unexpectedly, so I'm simply curious as to who she is."br /Albus Dumbledore eyed the man opposite him suspiciously, looking not unlike the girl in question had herself the first time they had met. As far as the Professor was concerned,  
the fact that the governor was even in attendance at all was disconcerting enough!/p 


	5. Suspicion

p style="color: #222222; font-family:  
Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;  
font-size: 14px; line-height: 24.479999542236328px;"Morgana hadn't expected to see Lucius Malfoy again so soon after the May Day Dance, but as she walked out of the homework room seven days later,  
she met him stepping off the twisting staircase that led to Professor Dumbledore's office. He gave her a charming smile as soon as he saw her, and she returned it with a wry one of her own, both of them pausing briefly, despite the chilly stares from her classmates who stood across the /br /"Good evening,  
Miss D'Angelo."br /br /"Mr. Malfoy,"  
Morgana said quietly, inclining her head a little. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."br /br /"I'm here on behalf of the Board of Governors," he explained. "I'm looking for Dumbledore." But his thoughts were clearly no longer completely on finding the headteacher as he leaned in to talk to the young witch who had somehow captured his attention so /br /They spoke for only a few moments but Lucius, once again, left her company feeling more relaxed than he should, given what he was here to do, and absolutely on top of the world./p 


	6. Summer - June-August 1993

p style="color: #222222; font-family:  
Georgia, 'Times New Roman', verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;  
font-size: 14px; line-height: 24.479999542236328px;"Morgana hadn't been able contain her anger when she had been shaken awake by a frantic Tilly in the early hours of May the 9th, telling her that Professor Dumbledore had been suspended as the headmaster of Hogwarts./p 


	7. Colour - August-September 1993

Lucius couldn't help but be amazed by the whirlwind of colour that had entered his life along with Morgana. It had given him a sense of appreciation that he'd never had before, and he didn't think he'd ever forget the evening he'd arrived at Antoinette D'Angelo's London townhouse to collect Morgana to take her dancing. The young witch had swept down the staircase in a stunning sage green silk cloak, beneath which she wore an equally beautiful cerise pink evening gown, cut low on her shoulders, which had floated around them as they'd danced long into the night.  
Despite being perfectly adept at it, dancing, and waltzing in particular, had never been Lucius's favourite past time, (if anything he considered it to be repetitive and dull), but he didn't feel that way when he was spinning around the dance floor, any dance floor, with Morgana in his arms. Intellectually, they were similarly matched. He'd quickly discovered that Morgana's memory capacity was immense, she seemed to simply absorb information easier and faster than anybody Lucius had ever met. She was as skilled in verbal debates as he was, and that made for some incredibly interesting conversations, so they often talked as they danced. Their next great debate invariably began halfway through a dance, and more than once they confused and astounded onlookers as one of them strode from the dance floor in irritation.  
They met often over the following few weeks, usually at dinner parties or dances. Great-Aunt Antoinette paired them off as often as she could, still hopeful that Lucius Malfoy would see what a catch Morgana would be for his son, and if the matronly witch had heard the whispered rumours about the closeness of the influential wizard and her niece, she had obviously chosen to ignore them.

Upon the discovery of Morgana's love of muggle horses, Lucius had, over the course of the following few weeks, managed to source a semi-wild painted Mustang. When he'd gone to meet the filly, he'd found her to be short-tempered, high-spirited and absolutely beautiful to look at - not unlike the girl he was buying her for, Lucius had thought with a smile as he'd handed over his gold galleons.  
He'd intended to give the horse to Morgana as a seventeenth birthday present, but by the end of September he couldn't wait any longer to see her face, and so he arranged to meet his young friend at the stables in Hogsmeade village on her first Saturday trip out from school.  
Morgana had been surprised when she'd received his owl. It was the first time he'd asked to see her not in public, and the thought of doing so so close to Hogwarts made her feel a little apprehensive, but she wrapped herself in a purple cloak, told Professor Flitwick where she was going, and went anyway.  
As she approached the stables, Morgana spotted Lucius right away, and he smiled happily when he saw her striding up the dirt track.  
He greeted her softly, his voice silky smooth as it always was around her, and she replied in the same manner. She was delighted to see him, despite her nervousness, and after a few moments, she felt it was necessary to inquire as to how Narcissa felt about him being here.

Morgana had expected Lucius to say that Narcissa wasn't aware of his visit, or to even lie about it - what she hadn't expected was for him to look away sadly, and give a mumbled explanation that he and Narcissa were 'spending some time apart'. His slightly pained expression told her to not probe any further about the situation so Morgana simply nodded, and stayed silent.  
A moment later, his face brightened as he remembered why he was there, and he gestured that Morgana should wait where she was standing. She stared at his back in confusion as he disappeared into the stables and returned a few seconds later leading the most stunning horse she had ever laid eyes on.  
Morgana's gaze alternated between Lucius and the filly for several minutes before he gently handed her the reins, and said, with uncharacteristic tenderness, "Happy birthday, Morgana."  
She stared at him uncomprehendingly, and as she realised what he'd done, she felt completely overwhelmed.  
"She's for me?" Morgana's voice was somewhere between a gasp and a squeak, and Lucius nodded.  
"I know it's not quite your birthday yet, but I wanted you to have her now. She's semi-wild," he cautioned, "I thought you'd prefer that..." He trailed off, watching Morgana's face as she stepped slowly towards the Mustang, holding out her fingers so the filly could catch her scent. Unlike with himself or with the grooms at Malfoy Manor, where he'd kept the horse stabled for the past few days, the Mustang stood perfectly still as Morgana approached her, and she immediately allowed her new owner to place a gentle palm on her nose and stroke the baby soft hair there.  
Morgana's voice shook a little, and there were tears in her black eyes as she turned to Lucius and whispered, "Thankyou."


	8. Fascination

Narcissa Malfoy had initially laughed at her husband when he'd told her about Morgana, which had, for a while at least, made Lucius wish he hadn't said anything. She'd been shocked, disappointed in him, which Lucius hadn't liked very much, but she'd agreed to spend time apart, so as soon as Draco had returned to school, Narcissa had gone back to France. Lucius spoke to her almost daily, she was still his wife, and he had always cared deeply for her even if he hadn't ever necessarily been in love with her. As wonderful as a woman and a witch as she was, and Lucius truly believed she was exactly that, even after all these years, his feelings for her paled into insignificance when placed coldly and harshly next to his developing feelings for Morgana.

Lucius alternately loved and hated the fascination he had with Morgana D'Angelo. He knew others thought he was an infatuated fool, and just occasionally he wondered if they might be right. It wasn't a thought that appealed to his ego, but even he couldn't deny the two decades between their ages was quite a stretch, and neither could he explain the feelings she had awakened deep within him. He couldn't explain it, but he knew giving it up wasn't an option. Now he'd met her, he needed her in his life.  
Lucius's thoughts strayed...She was beautiful, of course, no one could deny that, but, as most people had suggested, Lucius didn't believe her looks and physique were the only reasons for his captivation with her. He adored spending time with her, talking to her, riding with her. They even practiced duelling on odd occasions. There was absolutely nothing he did not enjoy doing if Morgana was at his side.

Although her sixth year of school had started, and she was supposed to be studying, Morgana found herself wanting to spend as much time with Lucius Malfoy as she could with arousing anyone's suspicions. She managed to meet him most weekends in Hogsmeade, usually at the stables, where the mustang he had bought her was stabled during term time. She had named the horse Blaize, and the pair adored one another. Unlike everyone else who had to handle her, the mustang's fiery temperament did not extend to her owner, and Morgana loved charging across the grasslands around the village with Lucius beside her.  
The tension between herself and the wizard was growing. She could feel it every time she saw him, and she sensed he could too. When they waltzed, she knew they danced too close now, their fingers lingered just a little too long when the music ended. She had watched his pupils darken too often when they had gazed at one another, and she knew what the warm glow deep inside her meant. She wondered how long they would continue playing this game, how long would it be before one of them, or both, would give in and take a chance on the other.

October came, and the weather turned noticeably colder. The slightly brisker wind signalled Halloween was on its way, and Draco Malfoy elected to return to France with his mother for the duration of the holiday, leaving Lucius at a loose end. He'd taken leave of the Ministry of Magic for one week, as he often did during term breaks, in order to spend time with his son, but this time Draco wasn't here.  
Lucius spent hours upon hours debating his motives, his intentions, his desires, before he arranged lodgings in Hogsmeade for the week. Two rooms, one right across the hall from the other, both similarly furnished, and his voice shook uncharacteristically when he invited Morgana to join him in the village.  
She said yes, of course, and she packed up a small bag, and was already waiting at the front gates of the school when Lucius came strolling up the driveway.


	9. No Reins - October 1993

Morgana urged the stocky mustang onwards, and within seconds they were neck and neck with the wizard and his tan stallion.  
Lucius glanced across at her, his usually cool grey eyes alight with devilment, and she grinned back at him wickedly as they thundered across the open grassland. She was so young, and beautiful, and free, and suddenly Lucius envied her. He'd never been able to act that way, not even as a small child, he'd been permitted to do nothing that may have disgraced the name of Malfoy. Everything he had done in the past, everything he did now, was calculated, shrewd, designed to advance his own position in society, regardless of the consequences to anyone else. He considered every potential risk before he did anything.  
Morgana didn't though. She was brilliant, her mind was constantly active, but she rarely thought ahead to what might happen because of her actions. Maybe it was merely her youth, but Lucius doubted it, more likely it was the fact that she'd never had to think about what she said or did, not really. Nothing had ever depended on her staying silent or hidden.  
He watched her as her thighs gripped tight to the mare's painted abdomen, and then with pure abandon, she let go of the reins and threw her arms straight out to the sides. Her head fell back, her black curls flying loose in the wind that rushed past them. The mustang seemed to sense her rider's lack of inhibition, and her legs began to move faster, leaving Lucius's stallion trailing in her wake, and his owner with an ache in his loins.  
As Morgana raced across the grassland, it felt like she was taunting him, always just out of his grasp. Lucius forced the quivering stallion on, chasing her down, determined that today would be the day he reached her. He knew when he did, there would be no protests. It wasn't possible to kidnap the willing, after all. She was his secret, the one thing he hadn't stopped to consider the consequences of. Had he have done so, he may have realised just how dangerous she would come to be to him.  
When Morgana cantered to a halt, her cheeks rosy, her breathing unsteady, she turned to look at him, and her breath caught in her throat. She knew then that she was in love with him, and she knew too that it would be her downfall. He saw that in her eyes as he reined in the stallion beside her mustang, and yet he still pulled her from the horse and sank to the ground with her in his arms.  
She surrendered thankfully, knowing that she had played her game for long enough. Every meeting, every moment spent together up to now had been their courtship, their foreplay, and there was no finesse in what happened between them in the middle of that open plain, no tender words or gentle caresses. It was so raw, it was almost primal. It was as though their very survival depended on them satisfying their desire for one another.  
Lucius caught her mouth hungrily with his own, and she pulled him down onto her, her fingers already threading through his long, luxurious blond hair. Their movements were deft and urgent, and within seconds they became one, writhing around desperately in the prickling grasses. Lucius rolled onto his back, pushing her up so he could watch her head roll back each time she sank down onto him, and then she found a new strength, pulling him back onto her so he reared over her once again, and he called out as he buried himself deep inside her, before his trembling arms gave way and he collapsed down onto her panting form.  
Morgana held him tight, her fingers softly stroking his hair, wondering why it had taken them so long to get to this point. She'd desired him, wanted him, for so long, but she had never been completely sure that he'd felt the same way. She had feared him pushing her away, and so she had not stepped forward.  
Eventually, Lucius stirred, raising his head off her chest and looking intently into her black eyes. He gazed at her for a long, long moment before he pushed himself off her, and laid on his back, pulling her gently into the crook of his arm.  
How long they laid there, talking about what the future held and where they should go from here, neither of them knew, but it was almost sundown when Lucius kissed Morgana farewell at the covered wooden bridge that led into the back entrance of the castle, and he watched her go sadly, suddenly wishing they could have stayed on those open grasslands forever.


	10. Platform 9 34 - December 1993

Narcissa Malfoy had elected to collect Draco from Hogsmeade at the start of the Christmas holidays, telling him it would be easier and quicker for her to meet him there and then they fly straight to France, rather than him spending an entire day travelling all the way back to London. When her son questioned the fact that he hadn't seen his father since the beginning of the school year, Narcissa flustered for a moment, and told Draco that Lucius was having a particularly busy time at the Ministry, so he'd barely be around for the festivities anyway. Draco didn't look convinced but wisely held his tongue.  
In reality, Narcissa just wanted to avoid going anywhere near London. She wanted to avoid all the sympathetic glances and snide remarks from the women who claimed to be her friends. Her husband's obsession with Morgana D'Angelo was becoming common knowledge now, and although she didn't believe it would last much longer, Narcissa just wanted to stay away from the entire, slightly sordid, situation.

As the scarlet locomotive groaned out of Hogsmeade station, Morgana sat chatting happily with Liliana, Tilly and Jacq in a private compartment. It was Christmas, and although they knew they'd miss one another, they were each delighted to be heading home for the was feeling joyful yet somehow apprehensive at the same time. With Narcissa and Draco staying in France, she was spending this Christmas at Malfoy Manor, and although she hated doing it, and she hadn't out and out lied to her parents, she had neglected to mention that Draco wouldn't actually be there. As such, Aunt Antoinette had been delighted to hear that her plan to arrange a marriage between her great-niece and the Malfoy boy appeared to be proceeding well. Morgana considered that the less her family currently knew, the better it would be for them, so she encouraged the notions of a marriage with Draco whilst spending time with Lucius.  
As the train neared London, Morgana's apprehension turned to excitement. Lucius had said he would be waiting for her on Platform 9 3/4, and he was.  
His tall figure was the first thing Morgana saw as the Hogwarts Express puffed slowly into Kings Cross Station, and she smiled inwardly. He was in a customary dark suit, and a thick black cloak which he had pulled tightly around his body in an attempt to keep out the cold. He caught her eye, and she gave him a wide smile, knowing she would soon be back in his arms.

Stood on Platform 9 3/4 for the first time in almost twenty-five years, Lucius Malfoy was transported briefly back to his school days. The sights were the same and so were the smells, the only thing different was that the people who surrounded him were now collecting their children instead of waiting to be collected.  
He recalled his first visit to Platform 9 3/4. Despite his affluent upbringing, the hidden station had still impressed him, and he'd been awestruck as Hagrid had taken the first years across the Black Lake with Hogwarts school rising up majestically in front of them.  
A shrieking hiss brought his attention back to the present, and he looked up to see the scarlet locomotive pulling into the station. Lucius saw Morgana before she saw him, but he could tell she was searching the crowd for him even before the train stopped.  
As soon as she noticed him, Morgana smiled happily, and Lucius couldn't help grinning back.

The parents surrounding Lucius saw his broad smile, and they stared curiously into the train. As they saw who had caught his eye, they gave one another sideways glances, wondering who the young woman was. They knew she wasn't his daughter.  
They watched surreptitiously as she stepped off the train and Lucius walked forward to greet her. Their meeting appeared a little strained, as though it was more formal than the pair were used to, and there were many whispered debates on Platform 9 3/4 that day as to what Lucius Malfoy was doing meeting a girl nobody knew off the Hogwarts Express.


	11. Malfoy Manor

**Malfoy Manor**

Despite Lucius telling her they were only minutes away from it, Malfoy Manor was still completely obscured from view by the thick forest that surrounded it. Morgana was indescribably nervous. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and she held Lucius's hand rather tighter than she would usually have done. He lounged back against the shiny leather seat of the Rolls Royce, and chatted away, attempting to calm Morgana's apprehension, but he could sense it wasn't working on this occasion.

The chauffeur turned the car smoothly onto a driveway, slowing gradually as they reached a pair of enormous black wrought iron gates, which evaporated in front of their eyes. The gravel driveway was bordered on either side by squared off hedges even taller than the gates, and Morgana sensed rather saw the extensive grounds that encompassed the house.  
As they emerged from the succession of evergreens, Morgana gasped aloud. Malfoy Manor wasn't a manor house at all. It was a mansion!  
Six five-storey turrets rose majestically into the sky, flanking the main body of the stone house. It was astounding, a truly amazing building, and Morgana continued to gaze at it in wonderment as Lucius helped her out of the car.  
Lucius was used to people expressing their admiration of his house, but on this day he felt both proud and humbled as this young woman, one of the most beautiful creations he had ever been blessed enough to lay eyes on, regarded his home with absolute marvel.  
The wizard took Morgana's hand, and she followed him up the four shallow steps to the massive oak doors. The doors opened slowly to reveal an enormous, dimly-lit hallway, ornate doors leading off from it in every direction.  
Lucius placed his hand on her lower back, pushing her gently into the reception hall, unable to contain a smile as she gazed up at the stunning marble staircase above her head. He striped off his black leather gloves, throwing them carelessly onto the table beside the door, and unclasped the silver snake brooch on his cloak. He left the cloak on, and gently retrieved Morgana's hand. She turned to look at him, a smile on her lips, and he said softly, "Come on, I'll show you to your room."  
He held her hand, leading her up the wide staircase to the first floor, guiding her left when they reached the top.  
Morgana studied the portraits lining the corridor. Centuries worth of haughty wizards and witches stared down at them as they passed along the hall. Malfoy ancestors, she supposed, the ones not quite prominant enough to be on show in the public areas of the house, but still too important to be hidden away. The faces in the paintings were inscrutable, as Lucius's was much of the time. Blond hair and grey eyes were dominant in many of the pictures, and Morgana noticed Malfoy Manor in many of them - it was fascinating to see how the house had changed over time.  
Lucius stopped at the very end of the corridor, watching Morgana's face as he opened the heavy oak door of the tower room. He stood back against the carved door, and let go of her hand as she stepped slowly past him into the room.  
Morgana strolled around in awe. She could feel the plushness of the rich scarlet red carpet even through the soles of her shoes, and she couldn't stop her fingers trailing lightly over the deep plum and emerald silk curtains at the windows. The room was vast, and amazing in itself, but the centerpiece was nothing short of divine. The mahogany four poster bed on the left wall was draped with lengths of red, purple and emerald voil to match the rest of the room, and a silk scarlet throw covered the mattress.  
Morgana looked at Lucius again, completely overwhelmed by his efforts to make her visit comfortable.  
"Lucius, this is beautiful...Thankyou."  
The wizard stared shyly down at his highly polished black shoes. "You don't need to thank me, Morgana, I just wanted to make you happy."  
She was suddenly there in front of him, her fingers easing his chin upwards so their gazes met.  
"Being with you alone makes me happy," Morgana murmured, and her fingertips strayed up to his face, her palm pressing gently against his cheek, and at that tender caress, they both knew they'd been apart for too long.  
Their arms snaked around each other, their eager mouths crashing together, and Lucius kicked the heavy door closed as his fingers found the silk laces on the back of her bodice. Morgana felt the fabric loosen around her torso as he pulled the ribbon undone, and she shoved him back against the closed door, fumbling a little as she unbuttoned his jacket. She eased both the jacket and the black cloak from his shoulders in one swift movement, and they pooled together on the floor, forgotten.  
Morgana was on tiptoes, her fingers tangled in Lucius's thick blond hair. He began to push her slowly backwards in the direction of the bed, easing the bodice of her dress down to her waist, and she started to unbutton his shirt. By the time he felt the coolness of the silk throw against the backs of his thighs, the only stitch of fabric between them was Morgana's sheer black stockings, and if he was honest, Lucius didn't see them causing him any difficulty.  
She pushed him effortlessly back into the softness of the bed, a saucy smile playing on her lips, and he offered no resistance as her mouth began to work its magic on his willing body. She already knew what he liked and what to avoid, and Lucius was transported into a world of pure bliss. Moments later, he reached out for her and pulled her up across his chest, his lips searching for hers once more, his hands gliding smoothly down the full length of her back. He shuddered as she rolled over, pulling him with her so he mounted her. The suddenness of her movement astounded and inflamed him, and a second later they became one.  
As his body entered hers, Morgana's stocking-clad legs involuntarily curled around his buttocks and her head fell backwards as he lowered his lips to the soft swell of her breasts. She gasped aloud as his tongue found the nipple of her left breast, and she moaned as he caught it gently between his teeth.  
When Lucius opened his eyes and looked up, the sight that met his eyes overwhelmed him. Morgana's body was arched upwards, her head tilted back in sweet agony, the silken sheets twisted around her fingers. Lucius had never seen anything so erotic, and it was too much for him. He gave a low groan as his body emptied itself deep within hers, and his trembling arms gave way and he collapsed on top of her.  
They lay still for several minutes, and then Morgana began to wriggle beneath him. Lucius eased himself up, his hair falling across her breasts before he brushed it out of his face. They shared a secretive smile, and Lucius rolled onto his back, lazily announcing that he believed he'd show her the rest of the manor tomorrow, that this particular room was all she really needed to see tonight, and Morgana chuckled a little in agreement. She had the next three weeks to explore Malfoy Manor, the only thing she really wanted to do right now was to reacquaint herself, wholly, with its lord and master.


	12. Christmas Morning

**Christmas Morning**

On Christmas morning, Morgana awoke slowly and stretched lazily, expecting one limb or another to feel Lucius's warm body tucked up beside her as it had been the past six mornings. She was disappointed to find the bed around her empty. She drew the covers loosely around her naked form and shuffled up into a sitting position, hoping to see him somewhere else in the room.

There was no sign of Lucius, but a large box that hadn't been there the previous evening was now perched on the mahogany dressing table. The box was a rich ivory colour and was decorated with a wide plum-coloured silk ribbon.  
Holding the sheets around her, Morgana slipped out of the four poster bed, her dainty toes sinking into the plush carpet beneath her feet, and wandered curiously over to the dressing table. On top of the box was a short note, written in a well-formed hand, on a piece of parchment.

'The first of many gifts on this day.  
Ever yours, Lucius.'

She tucked the top of the sheet around her chest, fashioning herself some kind of toga, and gently eased the lid off the box's base.  
The young witch gasped aloud, incredulously, when she saw what was laid inside.  
A rich, deep scarlet red and gold brocade dress stared up at her. Morgana stood open-mouthed for a long moment, looking down at it in sheer wonderment. Hardly daring to touch it, she picked it up gently at the shoulders and the gown tumbled gracefully down to the floor, its true glory now evident, and Morgana gasped again. She held it up for a while before her arms began to ache, and then she gently laid it across the empty bed and hurried into the bathroom to wash.

Morgana stood in front of the ornate mirror, marvelling at her new attire. It was so very beautiful. The velvet overdress laced up at the front, sweeping from under her breasts in a figure-hugging curve, up and over her shoulders. The red sleeves fitted snugly to elbow-length and then cascaded in gentle gold brocade folds to past her knees. A matching gold brocade under dress covered her breasts and was exposed at the front of the dress where the velvet parted. A red hood with silk gold lining completed the gown.  
She wore her dark hair down, it rippled in soft waves down over the bodice of the dress, a striking contrast to the gold. She wore little make-up, a brush of mascara and a dab of lipstick, she knew she needed nothing more. Her radiance and vitality shone more brightly than any make-up ever could.  
Morgana smiled at her reflection, her black eyes alight. She straightened her back, and swept from the room.

Lucius Malfoy stood ramrod straight, as he always did, at the foot of the marble staircase. He was in his customary dark suit and white shirt, but there was a splash of colour this morning. His waistcoat was a deep claret red and in his hands he held a small plum-coloured box secured with an ivory ribbon.  
Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, Lucius looked up and immediately stopped short, his cool grey-blue eyes on the figure at the head of the stairs.  
Morgana always looked beautiful, but today there was an aura about her, so radiant, so vitalizing, that she stunned him into silence. He gazed at her adoringly, and even from such a distance, her black eyes captivated him.  
Holding the dress up just a little to avoid tripping, she stepped slowly down to greet him, the small heels of the matching shoes she had found at the bottom of the dress box tapping lightly on the marble.  
She reached him with a shy smile and took his proffered arm.  
Lucius genuinely couldn't take his eyes off her, uncomprehendingly offering her the box with a tender, "Merry Christmas, Morgana."  
She accepted it graciously, her warm eyes gazing longingly into his.  
"Merry Christmas, Lucius," she replied softly.


End file.
